Amoco

Amoco Oil Corporation was founded in 1889 by John Rockefeller and first incorporated as Standard Oil of Indiana, formed from the breakup of gasoline giant Standard Oil. more...

Since then, Amoco has grown into a global oil and gasoline conglomerate; it was merged with British Petroleum in 1998 to form BP Amoco, which was later rebranded to BP.

History

Amoco was formed as Standard Oil (Indiana) in 1889 by John D. Rockefeller as part of the Standard Oil trust. In 1910, with the rise in popularity of the automobile (family car), Amoco decided to specialize in providing gas to everyday families and their cars. In 1911, the year it became independent from the Standard Oil trust, the company sold 88% of the gasoline and kerosene sold in the midwest. In 1912 it opened its first gas service station in 1912 in Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the 1920s and 30s Amoco opened up dozens more refining and oil-drilling facilities. Combined with a new oil-refining process, Amoco created its exploration and production business, Stanolind, in 1931. In the following years, a period of intense exploration and search for oil-rich fields ensued; the company drilled over 1000 wells in 1937 alone.

World War II followed this period of exploration; Amoco participated in the war effort, discovering new means of refinement and even a way of producing TNT quicker and easier. In addition, Amoco significantly contributed to the aviation and land gasoline needed for the Allied armies. Also, during the war Amoco created its chemical division, formed from the merger of the Pan American Chemicals Company and the Indoil Chemical Company.

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